Transcript
Page 1: International Search and Rescue Advisory Team INSARAG€¦ · International Search and Rescue Advisory Team – INSARAG – Americas Region I. Introduction In order to have an overview

Compiled and processed by:

Juan Alfredo Campos Zumbado

Walter Fonseca Bonilla

Reviewed by the INSARAG Americas Chairmanship Team, 2014

June 2014

International Search and Rescue

Advisory Team – INSARAG

Americas’ Region

Capacity assessment of USAR teams in the Americas region

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International Search and Rescue Advisory Team – INSARAG – Americas Region

Table of content

I. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................................... 3

II. BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................................................................... 4

III. METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................................................................ 5

IV. DIAGNOSIS RESULTS ............................................................................................................................................. 7

1. GENERAL QUESTIONS (INFORMATION TO BE SHOWN IN THE INSARAG DIRECTORY) ....................................................................... 7

1.1. Number of current Regional USAR Teams ........................................................................................................... 7

1.2. Information of the teams ................................................................................................................................... 10 1.2.1. Type ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 1.2.2. Sponsor or support from a national authority or the Government ..................................................................................... 11 1.2.3. Number of persons or members of the team ...................................................................................................................... 11 1.2.4. Self-sufficiency, as stated in the INSARAG Guidelines.......................................................................................................... 11 1.2.5. Existence of an accreditation, certification or national standardization system.................................................................. 12

2. ASPECTS RELATED TO THE POLITICAL MANAGEMENT ................................................................................................................ 12

3. ASPECTS RELATED TO THE NORMATIVE FRAMEWORK AND NATIONAL SYSTEM ............................................................................... 14

4. ISSUES RELATED TO THE INSARAG FOCAL POINTS IN YOUR COUNTRY ......................................................................................... 15

5. ASPECTS RELATED TO THE INSARAG GUIDELINES .................................................................................................... 16

6. ASPECTS RELATED TO EACH USAR TEAM ................................................................................................................... 17

6.1. Components of USAR Team capacity ................................................................................................................. 18

6.2. Standard operation procedures or guidelines of the USAR team components .................................................. 19

6.3. USAR team self-funding (budget) ...................................................................................................................... 20

7. INSTITUTIONAL ASPECTS OF EACH TEAM ............................................................................................................................... 21

8. ASPECTS RELATED TO TRAINING .......................................................................................................................................... 22

9. ASPECTS RELATED TO COLLABORATION THROUGH THE INSARAG NETWORK ............................................................................... 23

V. CONCLUSIONS ......................................................................................................................................................... 24

VI. RECOMMENDATIONS .......................................................................................................................................... 24

1. STRENGTHENING, STANDARDIZATION AND CONSOLIDATION OF NATIONAL USAR PROCESS ............................................................. 24

2. COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION BETWEEN NATIONAL USAR TEAMS ................................................................................ 25

3. TRAINING PROGRAM OF THE REGIONAL INSARAG TEAM ........................................................................................................ 25

4. POLITICAL SUPPORT FOR THE NATIONAL AND REGIONAL USAR PROCESSES .................................................................................. 25

5. MUTUAL ASSISTANCE BETWEEN THE INSARAG MEMBERS, MAINLY THE AMERICAS’ REGIONAL TEAM .............................................. 25

VII. VII. ANNEXES ....................................................................................................................................................... 25

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International Search and Rescue Advisory Team – INSARAG – Americas Region

I. Introduction

In order to have an overview of the current USAR Teams situation, The Americas Region decided the carrying

out of diagnosis to identify the teams’ preparedness and response capacities. Thereafter, a short-term, medium-

term and long-term development strategy could be established.

This diagnosis of the USAR Teams is taken as an opportunity to identify the political and operational support that

they receive, the policies that support them, their

development level, the involvement of the emergency

national services, their funding, the knowledge about

the Handbook and Methodology of INSARAG and its

application level.

In addition, this diagnosis is a guidance tool for the

country’s Political and Operational Focal Points to

emphasize their efforts to the consolidation and

development of these USAR Teams at a national

level.

Having a wide point of view in relation with the

development and implementation level of the USAR

Teams, and knowing the interpreting for each team,

make you become a USAR Team and make you

know how this must be developed. As a result, this

work shares knowledge of the INSARAG Handbooks

and different development subjects of the teams.

The results show that there are processes to be

strengthened and actions to be implemented in order

to make all the teams understand that this process is

part of the Government authorities. The process must

be organized in close coordination with the National

Emergency and Disaster System and it must have

policies that support it and human and financial

resources that make it sustainable.

The team must develop and implement integration processes within the five components (administrative,

Logistics, research, rescue and medical), through process and characteristics previously developed, approved

and tried. To meet this target, the team must be immersed in a solid process of preparedness and planned

training, and in a constantly development to determine the actual technical and technological changes.

The next step is to raise awareness in people with political and technical power of decision that can provide

positive conditions for the strengthening and perseverance of the teams’ consolidation. All this must be done

with the constant support of the INSARAG Secretariat and the Americas INSARAG Presidency, creating planned

and perseverant processes and assuring the continuity and development of the USAR Teams.

The support of the certified teams from our country and any of the continents is essential for understanding and

assisting which the scope of the constitution and development of the national USAR Teams is. It is also

important to learn from all its experience in the building of all those crucial parts and to glimpse that establishing

USAR is more than research and recue. Actually, the idea is to create a process in close relation with the

national organizations, in order to work together for the same target: saving lives when required.

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This document has three parts: (1) the explanation of the methodological process used to carry out this report;

(2) the diagnosis results, analyzing each aspect with its respectively questions and answers (see tool for

diagnosis. Annex 1); (3) conclusions and recommendations.

II. Background

The America’s INSARAG Regional Team discussed and approved, in their annual meeting of 2012 in San José

– Costa Rica, the proposal of carrying out a diagnosis of the Americas’ USAR Teams capacity. In the executive

board – Costa Rica, the Presidency; Peru, the first Vice-presidency, and Chile, the second Vice-presidency –

pursuing this requirement was agreed and the process needed for the diagnosis was decided.

The idea of working on a diagnosis tool arises from the necessity to answer many questions, such as, how many

USAR Teams are in the Region? How much we know about INSARAG and its Handbook? Which is the political

support for these teams? These questions result after the new challenge of changing the Presidency of the

Americas’ Regional Team.

The official nomination from the countries of the majority of national and operational focal points of the Region

enable a closer relation between the INSARAG Secretariat and each country, keeping an official way of

communication. This latter allows to us identify and promote the INSARAG methodology, which in turn consents

to start the best way for creating operational and organizational guidelines for National USAR teams, as pointed

on chapter G, page 69 of the INSARAG Guidelines.

The INSARAG Guidelines and its chapter G are essential for analyzing the diagnosis information, focusing on

the importance of operational and organizational guidelines for National USAR teams, as well as, how USAR

Teams are following the recommendations given in this chapter.

The diagnosis tool has nine important aspects for the disclosure of information, development and consolidation

of the Americas’ USAR Teams:

1. General Questions (information shown in the INSARAG directory)

2. Aspects related to the political management

3. Aspects related to the normative framework and national system

4. Issues related to the INSARAG Focal Points of the country

5. Issues related to the INSARAG Guidelines

6. Aspects related to each USAR team

7. Institutional aspects of each team

8. Aspects related to training

9. Aspects related to collaboration through the INSARAG network

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III. Methodology

As a result of the different actions developed since having the necessity of a regional diagnosis, the

methodological process was divided in five steps:

1. Preparation, consultation and validation of the assessment tool

2. Collection and compilation of the information

3. Information processing

4. Information analysis

5. Presentation of the results

Now, each step is developed:

Step 1: The preparation, consultation and validation of the diagnosis tool is the first step to assure the

coherence of questions and their interrelation regarding what was needed to know from the current Regional

USAR Teams. Even the preexisting limitations of this kind of tools, the main target was to compile information,

as much as possible, of the national systems and USAR Teams. The tool sampling was taken in Chile.

Step 2: Due to the tool’s characteristics, the collection and compilation of the information caused many

doubts that were answered and clarified during the completion process.

Most of these doubts were related to who must fill out the diagnosis tool and how it must be filled out, such as:

Do we need a compilation for each country? Do we need a compilation for each USAR Team? Who must fill out

the tool? Which are the conditions for been taken in consideration? The tool must be filled out only by those who

comply with the requirements of the INSARAG Handbook or those who are part of certified or national accredited

teams? This situation extended the time for compiling the diagnosis tools duly completed but, it also allows us to

have more samplings for the analysis.

Step 3: For the information processing, a tool was prepared leading us to join the different questions for each

aspect (see Annex 2). This was done to duly graph the results for its interpreting and analysis regarding the

diagnosis targets previously established. Two types of questions were arisen from the different kind of questions:

questions answered by the National USAR Process (NATIONAL COMPILATION) and others answered by each

USAR Team (USAR TEAMS). Therefore, the information processing was divided in these two types of

questions, thus analysis processing is coherent with this distribution.

In chart 1, first and second columns show aspects and questions of the diagnosis tool, and the number of

answers in the national compilation and the USAR teams.

The answers regarding each USAR Team was not constant in each question (see fourth column). There are

countries that take in consideration the teams, but they do not show the diagnosis tools. Therefore, the

information processing was developed in coherence with the answers.

Due to the difference on answers, we take in consideration the answers of USAR Teams in the presentation of

the results for each aspect.

Step 4: The information analysis is coherent with the nine essential aspects of the diagnosis tool, based on the

analyses of the INSARAG Guidelines and its chapter G, “Establishing a National Search and Rescue Capacity”.

Additionally, there is an analysis regarding the country compilation and each USAR team.

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Chart 1: Number of primordial aspects, number of questions of the diagnosis tool and number of answers for the national

compilation and USAR Teams.

Section Question Consolidated figure by country

By number of USAR team

1 1.1 12

1 1.2 84

1 1.3 73

2 2.1 12

2 2.2 12

3 3.1 12

3 3.2 12

3 3.3 12

3 3.4 12

4 4.1 19

4 4.2 12

4 4.3 12

5 5.1 53

5 5.2 12

5 5.3 12

6 6.1 58

6 6.2 47

6 6.3 57

7 7.1 58

7 7.2 58

7 7.3 58

7 7.4 58

7 7.5 58

7 7.6 58

7 7.7 58

8 8.1 58

8 8.2 58

8 8.3 58

8 8.4 58

8 8.5 58

8 8.6 58

9 9.1 12

9 9.2 12

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Step 5: The submittal of the results was done for each essential aspect of the diagnosis tool, including a small

paragraph of the analysis and its corresponding graphic. In some cases, graphics could be more than one

because of the number of questions.

IV. Diagnosis results

Each aspect was analyzed in order to determine the scope and results. Then, some strategies are established

and introduced into the Executive Board of the Americas region for the subsequent years.

1. General Questions (information to be shown in the INSARAG directory)

These questions allowed us to know the number of current teams, compile the information of the teams and the

experience in national and international missions, and update the data base of the INSARAG Secretariat with

the contacts of these teams.

1.1. Number of current Regional USAR Teams

From the 12 countries that fill out the survey (Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador,

United States, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Dominic Republic and Venezuela), 101 USAR Teams were identified:

2 in the sub-region of the Caribbean, 3 in Central America, 33 in North America and 63 in South America (see

Graphic 1 and 2).

From the 101 USAR Teams identified, two countries (Argentina and Chile) do not submit the complete diagnosis

tool of 17 teams (Argentina has 7 teams and Chile, 10). Below you can read the literal expressions they used:

Argentina states: “there are 8 formal teams linked in an official way and 7 are in process of formation;

they are very different in their development process”.

Chile indicates: “3 teams accredited by the National System of Operations, 3 teams in the final stage of

accreditation of the National System of Operations. There are also 10 USAR teams subscribed to the

Process of USAR National Accreditation, they are in different emerging steps and their little background

does not allow us to certify their capacities. Thus, they were not included in this compilation;

nevertheless, these 10 teams were counted since they are part of the national capacities building, as

stated in resolution 57/150 of UN General Assembly and the INSARAG Hyogo Declaration-2010.

United States identified 28 teams but they filled in two diagnosis tools in addition to the information of all the

teams; Virginia USAR Team is more detailed.

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Graphic 1: Countries that participated in the diagnosis and number of USAR teams for each country.

Meanwhile, Colombia identified 18 teams, each one in a different stage of development according to USAR. In

this regard, this country states: “Even though we do not receive any information from Bomberos de Pasto (Fire

Brigade of Colombia) Bogota, Pereira and Medellin, it is known that they are getting some work done in relation

to this process. Additionally, Red Cross is doing its process in different cities, but Bogota was the only team

ahead in the process”. For this document, 18 teams were identified by Colombia.

Of noting is that Graphic 1 shows the total of teams identified by each country. Therefore, each of them was

counted even if they did not fill in the tools for all the teams.

In connection with the distribution of the teams in sub-regions, there are 34 countries in Americas’ Regions; from

these, only 12 countries filled out the diagnosis tool, which represents 35.29% of the total of countries. At the

same time, these 12 countries represent 68% of the total of people in the Americas1.

According to the Graphic 2, teams divided by sub-regions, an important presence of teams in South America

(63), North America (33), and Central America (3) and the Caribbean is shown (2).

1 Information taken from Wikipedia webpage on May 27, 2014,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_in_the_Americas_by_population

COUNTRIES AND NUMBER OF USAR TEAMS IN THE AMERICAS

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Graphic 2: Number of countries and teams reported in Americas’ Region

Graphic 3 says that the majority of Americas’ teams are located in South America (50%) and North America

(17%); then, Central America (25%) and the Caribbean (8%).

Graphic 3: Percentage calculation for USAR Teams per sub-region of The Americas.

25%

17% 50%

8%

Percentage of teams by sub-region

América Central

América del Norte

América del Sur

Caribe

COUNTRIES PER REGION AND NUMBER OF USAR TEAMS REPORTED

PER SUB-REGION AMERICA

COUNTRIES PER REGION TEAMS REGISTERED

The Caribbean

South America

North America

Central America

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1.2. Information of the teams

In the processing of the teams’ individual information for question 1.2, the

data from only 84 teams was considered, corresponding to those ones

that submitted the required information (see Chart 2).

All the required information of the diagnosis tool chart was used but the

following points are important to be mentioned:

Type.

Sponsor or support from a national authority or the Government.

Number of persons or members of the team.

Self-sufficiency, as stated in the INSARAG Guidelines.

Existence of an accreditation, certification or national

standardization system.

1.2.1. Type

The type of teams shows that 76% of the teams are governmental and institutional, 7% of them are

governmental and inter-institutional, 7% are NGO and 10% are classified as Other, which are teams that are part

of the Fire Brigade of Chile, one from Cali-Colombia and one from Argentina (see Graphic 4).

Graphic 4: USAR Teams Classification in each country.

Type of USAR teams

Gubernamental: Interinstitucional Gubernamental: Institucional ONG Privado Otro

Teams that reported information

Country Number

Argentina 8

Chile 6

Colombia 18

Costa Rica 1

Ecuador 5

El Salvador 1

United States of America 28

Guatemala 1

México 5

Peru 5

Dominican Republic 2

Venezuela 4

Total of teams 84

Chart 2: When processing teams’

individual information for question 1.2,

only 84 teams were taken into

consideration.

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1.2.2. Sponsor or support from a national authority or the Government

From the 84 teams that answered this question, the majority (76) indicates that they have support from national,

regional and local authorities. Only 8 teams indicate that they do not have this support or they are in the process

of obtaining it.

1.2.3. Number of persons or members of the team

The number of persons of each

USAR Team is essential for

developing its operational

capacities. Chapter G suggests

having at least 38 members for

medium-size teams and 55

members for bigger teams.

Graphic 5 teaches that 25 from

the total of USAR Teams have

less than the 38 members

required, inferring that their

capacities are not as strong as

supposed.

1.2.4. Self-sufficiency, as stated in the INSARAG Guidelines

The questions were: “Is the team self-sufficient as stated in the INSARAG Guidelines? – Yes/No/DO NOT

ANSWER, length expressed in days of self-sufficiency”. The answers allowed us to develop three different

analyses regarding that some teams (51) only answered YES/NO and NA (No Answer). 7 teams answered YES,

16 answered NO and 28 did not answer this question.

The second analysis is focused on the teams that answered NO since they are National USAR Teams that do

not need self-sufficiency as they are located in their own country. Nevertheless, in countries with great

extensions, a national team mobilization would need self-sufficiency capacity.

The third analysis refers to the teams that answered YES to sel-sufficiency but did not mention which one could

be this one. This subject depends on the self-sufficiency for the international teams and the guidelines of chapter

G on the INSARAG Guidelines. This chapter demonstrates that medium-sized teams must be self-sufficiency for

at least 7 days and the bigger ones, for 10 days. Therefore, those who answered having an international

reference is assumed, and those ones who did not answer are national teams.

1 3

2 3

10

1 1

4 3

1 1 1 1 1 1 3

1 1 3

1 1 2

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

27

1

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

NU

mb

er o

f te

ams

NUmber of team members

Total

Graphic 5: Total of persons that are part of each USAR Team registered

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0 2 3

1

6

0

5

0 1

11

0 0 0 0

4

0

5

10

15

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

NU

mb

er o

f te

ams

Days of self-sufficiency

Days of self-sufficiency

From the 33 teams that answered having self-sufficiency and indicated the days, 11 of them

answered having it for 10 days; 6 of them, for 7 days; 4 of them, for 15 days. The self-

sufficiency capacity of the other 12 teams is below the suggestion for working as international

team, but they could work as national USAR teams (see Graphic 6).

1.2.5. Existence of an accreditation, certification or national standardization system

From the teams taken into consideration for this section (70), 2 teams answered being certified before INSARAG

and being part of the United States (Team Fairfax Co. Fire & Rescue Dept. and LA County Fire Dept.), 36

answered being certified by its national system, 8 are in process of obtaining a national accreditation and 24 do

not have any accreditation system.

2. Aspects related to the political management

The political management plays an essential role in the line-up and foundation of the USAR Teams; it is in

charge of the policies, financings and operational conditions required for its strength. The answer to the question

arising from this section is shown in Graphic 7. It indicates that from the 12 countries that answered, 7 thinks that

political management is insufficient (58%), 4 believes that it is sufficient (34%) and 1 do not answer (8%).

Chart 3 demonstrates the priority order of the points considered as important for the countries, such as

compromise ratification, political support and improvement of the current process regarding this subject and the

USAR teams themselves.

There is as constant in the results, even though there is a difference in terms of political support, financing,

training, practice, equipment and fulfillment of agreements.

Graphic 6: Days of operational self-sufficiency for the Teams in the Americas’ Region.

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Graphic 7: Political support of the country to USAR Teams.

Items in order of importance shown by the countries

IMPORTANCE 1 IMPORTANCE 2 IMPORTANCE 3

1. Real political support provided

to the thematic management. 2. Governments’ assigning budget. 3. Providing support and follow-up

from the local governments and national government.

4. Identifying authorities and economic support.

5. Being recognized as open-door associations before the region countries.

6. Providing political support to complete interagency protocols.

7. Implemented USAR national process.

8. Providing institutional support in personnel management.

1. Technical support and training. 2. Institutional financing to sustain

personnel. 3. Assignment of full-time technical

team for being strengthened. 4. Economic and financial support

programs. 5. Providing equipment. 6. Providing funds. 7. Socialization of the National

Operation System before ONEMI and the Emergency Committee of the Civil Protection System at regional level.

8. Training and providing equipment to the teams.

9. Acquisition of equipment, tools and accessories.

1. Economic support for financing. 2. Institutional support for

preparing a reference framework.

3. Fulfillment of interinstitutional agreements.

4. Training and homogeneous operation process.

5. Regulating the USAR framework in the country.

6. International training opportunities.

7. Training exercises. 8. National assessment and

certification. 9. Providing equipment and

training with electronic equipment.

Chart 3: 2.2. Which are the three most important points/issues on which the political support and commitment depend for

the USAR issues in your country?

2.1. ¿How do you consider the political support in your country for USAR teams and for USAR related issuesHow do you consider the political support in your country for USAR teams and for USAR related

issues?

SUFICIENTE

INSUFICIENTE

NO APLICA

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0

5

10

15

SI NO NR/NS

Does the normative framework of your cuntry's risk

management/emergency management system foresee the need to have a USAR capacity?

7

5

0 0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

SI NO NR/NS

Is there a process at the national level that governs the establishment of a

USAR team?

3. Aspects related to the normative framework and national system

The emergency system and the policies of each country are linked

to the development of a national USAR system; therefore, USAR

Teams development is also involved. The questions arisen from

this section are related to know how this process evolves in each

country. For the first question, does this system considers the

necessity of having USAR capacities? USAR Teams answered

that they do need to have USAR capacities (see Graphic 8).

For the second question, is there a national process that guides a

USAR Team? From the 12 countries that answered this question,

7 teams affirm that there is a process developing in its country.

The other teams are not in the middle of any process (see Graphic

9).

The countries that answer YES means that they have a national

authority and a policy document that support the USAR Team

establishment process. There are different types of such

document, such as, plans, agreements, protocols, decisions; but

they have not been compiled in an appropriate and unique

document for USAR Teams.

For the third question, regarding the national system of

emergency service, are there mobilization mechanisms for the

national USAR teams? From 12 USAR teams, 9 teams affirm

having a mobilization system for emergencies.

This mobilization is supported by a national coordination or

authority. At the same time, these ones are supported by

policies based on national preparedness and emergency

response regulations and they do not have policies related

directly with the USAR Teams.

Regarding the subject of joining international capacities

with national USAR Teams capacities (see Graphic 10), 10

countries, from 12, affirm having the capacity to join them.

The remarks are essentially related to the importance of

joining the international assistance to the response national

system. The other two teams affirm having specific

mechanisms for USAR issue.

In general, this aspect shows that the countries are

interested in having national USAR teams directly linked to

Graphic 8: In your country, is it considered the

necessity of having USAR capacity?

Graphic 9: National process that guides the

constitution of a USAR team.

10

2

0 0

2

4

6

8

10

12

SI NO NR/NS

Are there any mechanisms and national capacity to receive and integrate

international USAR teams with national USAR teams and other national

resources when requested?

Graphic 10: National mechanisms and capacity for

receiving and integrating international USAR teams

with national USAR teams when requested.

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the National Emergency System, and supported by the system policies. There are teams doing great efforts for

developing the policies and organizational conditions in order to consolidate this effort for each USAR Team.

4. Issues related to the INSARAG focal points in your country

Knowing the relationship between the INSARAG Focal Points and USAR Teams allows us to develop strategies

and improvements in the information exchange and its updating. In this diagnosis, the communication

mechanisms and the progress during the last years is revised, since the designation of the focal points.

For analyzing this aspect, the answers of the USAR Teams

regarding the classification (governmental and institutional,

governmental and inter-institutional, NGO, and Other) were

considered. The focal point for this aspect is part of the

governmental designation. Therefore, knowing the relation

between the focal point and each USAR Team in the country

is the important target of this diagnosis.

From the 19 teams that were considered for analyzing this

question, 14 have a direct relation with their focal point (see

Graphic 11), 3 do not have a direct relation, 1 has a

coordinating relation and 1 has a difficult relation. For the last

team, this difficult relation might be the result of having the

same focal point at the middle stage and the national system,

and no having a close relation with USAR Teams. This is also

the explanation for another team that did not answer the

relation level it has, but affirms the same as the previous

team.

Regarding communication mechanisms between the INSARAG focal points and USAR teams, the existence of

meetings and regular assessment was mentioned. The most important analysis of the USAR teams is the

introduction of focal points promoting the improvement of this relation.

The progress of USAR teams regarding the focal points goes from taking decisions in order to follow INSARAG

Guidelines to establishing an accreditation national system (see Chart 4).

0

20 14

3 1 1

4.1. ¿Cuál es la relación de los puntos focales INSARAG del país con los distintos

grupos?

Graphic 11: Relationship between INSARAG

countries’ focal points of the country and many

other teams.

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Chart 4: Which is the main progress in USAR issues since the nomination of INSARAG focal points in your country?

Progress in the area of USAR since designation of INSARAG focal points

Decision for carrying out the process according to the INSARAG Guidelines.

Strengthening teams and creating political agreements.

Integrating different institutions to be part of the team.

Providing initial equipment to the team.

Consolidating technical teams to produce work competence standards and USAR national accreditation systems.

Consolidating of the USAR process o To develop national accreditation guidelines. o To systematize national resources. o To reactive the national committee for land search and rescue services.

Constituting USAR teams and the need for moving forward to a National System by means of meetings with political authorities.

To become updated in connection with INSARAH and UNDAC issues.

Intertwining the USAR work with the international community.

Establishing the National Operations System consisting of a written protocol.

Design, development, start-up and execution of a national accreditation process for national USAR teams in order that only these teams would be officially recognized by the emergency authority and thus avoiding the confusion caused by improvised and personalized teams, without procedures and institutionalization.

Emergency coordination and management required by USAR teams.

Construction of national process, , designation of political and technical focal points, platform design in order to manage this capacity.

Training institutions’ officials who are members of the USAR teams and building capacities at institutional level.

Handbooks of protocols and procedures, and of Response, Logistics, Preparedness and Equipment capacities.

Sharing the methodology stated in the INSARAG Guidelines, having regional teams for the development of local USAR teams, having consultancy teams dedicated to guide the constitution of USAR teams, knowing the progress related to INSARAG at global and regional level, developing classification systems for national USAR teams, in accordance with internationally-accepted standards, and keeping inventories (registration) of technical teams duly specialized in USAR issues and work, among others.

5. Aspects related to the INSARAG Guidelines

INSARAG Guidelines are an ensemble of experiences gathered from experts in this issue; they guide USAR

teams and keep them away from making mistakes from the past when providing their assistance. It is important

that all the teams in development identify, know and put into practice their different aspects. Achieving a balance

of knowledge and application level of the Guidelines is very important for the Executive Board of the Americas

and this diagnosis.

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From the three questions done in relation to the knowledge level of INSARAG Guidelines, the percentage for

each team is different depending on the answer. From the total number of USAR teams that submitted the

diagnosis tool, only 53 USAR teams answered something related to this issue.

In the question about the percentage of team members that knows the INSARAG Guidelines, 9 teams affirm that

their members know the Handbooks at 100%; 18 teams, between 75% and 99%; 17 teams, between 50% and

74%; 4 teams, between 25% and 49%; and 5 teams affirm that less than 25% of its members know the

INSARAG Guidelines (see Graphic 12).

Graphic 12: Percentage of teams’ members that knows the INSARAG Guidelines.

In relation to the hardest difficulties identified for knowing INSARAG Handbooks, the following aspects were

mentioned: necessity of having more samples of the physical document, difficulty to access technology, lack of

goodwill of people related to the issue, lack of adjustment at a national stage, necessity of an informing and

release process, effectiveness of its application and a constant training process on the subject.

In relation to the weaknesses of USAR Teams, considering INSARAG Guidelines, the following aspects were

mentioned: lack of way to make official things, resources availability, lack of process institutionalization, policies

and continuity in the initiated process. More details on Chart 2 (Results of the capacity assessment).

6. Aspects related to each USAR team

This aspect is referred to each USAR Team, so all the diagnosis tools submitted by the countries were analyzed

(see Chart 1, teams that answered questions in relation to this sixth aspect).

The questions for this aspect are related with the principles of strengthening USAR capacities, which support

Decision 57/150 of UN General Assembly and INSARAG Hyogo Declaration-2010 that states:

“The building of capacities must meet five USAR capacity elements (Research, Rescue, Medical, Management

and Logistics), and it must meet other needs that go from developing community rescuers to developing strong

USAR resources” (Chapter G2, page 97).

0

5

10

15

20

100% 75% y el99%

50% y el74%

25% y el49%

Menos del25%

9

18 17

4 5

What percentage of the team members know the INSARAG Guidelines?

PORCENTAJE

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International Search and Rescue Advisory Team – INSARAG – Americas Region

These capacity elements that appear in the INSARAG Handbook are treated as components, as well as in the

diagnosis tool.

6.1. Components of USAR Team capacity

The first question (does the team have all these elements?) was only answered by 58 USAR teams; 98% of

them have almost all the elements (Research, Rescue, Medical, Management and Logistics), and 2% do not

have all the elements.

This 2% is represented by 1 or 3 teams, but any of them mentioned no having any element (see Graphic 13).

Graphic 13: The team has these components.

It is important to remark that from the 58 teams that answered having the elements; only 20 teams indicate the

percentage development of each component.

In Graphic 14, each component has a different percentage of development; and some teams have no

development on Management and Logistics elements.

The following Graphic shows that Management, Logistics and Medical are the elements with less development

level.

56 57 57 58 55

2 1 1 0 3

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

GERENCIA LOGISTICA BUSQUEDA RESCATE MEDICO

Does the team have the following components? Please indicate yes or no

SI NO

Management Logistics Search Rescue Medical

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Graphic 14: seethe graphic shows the answer of 20 teams that additionally included the progress of each element in its

answer.

6.2. Standard operation procedures or guidelines of the USAR team components

The question refers to the USAR Teams that have work procedures and guidelines for the Research, Rescue,

Medical, Management and Logistics elements, and it was answered by 47 teams, from which only 8% said no

having any of these, and 92% have these procedures.

In Graphic 15, each element is analyzed separately, and the number of teams that answered either having or not

these procedures. Then, it is inferred that 3.6% said no having these procedures.

From the teams that answered having the procedures, only 21 teams indicated the percentage of development

of the procedure (see Graphic 16).

43 42 44 45 43

4 5 3 2 4

0

10

20

30

40

50

GERENCIA LOGISTICA BUSQUEDA RESCATE MEDICO

Components of the teams that have standard operation procedures: Indicate Yes or No

SI NO

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

GERENCIA 60 60 75 50 40 60 0 0 100 0 0 25 100 100 40 10 20 40 20 40

LOGISTICA 50 30 25 50 50 60 0 0 60 0 60 25 100 100 60 20 80 50 30 70

BUSQUEDA 80 80 80 75 30 0 10 10 0 50 65 10 100 100 80 80 50 50 40 50

RESCATE 90 60 85 75 30 40 10 10 100 50 80 40 100 100 80 80 80 70 70 70

MEDICO 20 75 80 0 40 40 10 10 100 0 80 10 100 100 10 50 70 80 50 40

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Po

rcen

taje

% of development of the components of the 20 USAR teams that reported it

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Graphic 15 Components with standard operating procedures. YES or NO.

In relation to the USAR Teams that indicated the development percentage of the work procedures or guidelines

on their answers, Graphic 16 shows that percentages are different, and that there is no a constant in any of the

elements’ percentage.

The majority of teams did not meet the total of the components and only 2 of 21 teams have 100% of the

element.

The elements were classified in order of development. Thus, those ones with higher percentage are on top of

the chart: Rescue, Research, Medical, Management and Logistics. The elements with less percentage are

Management and Logistics.

Graphic 16: Percentage of progress in the development of SOPs and guidelines for each component.

6.3. USAR team self-funding (budget)

From the 57 teams that answered the question related to

funding, 27 teams have self-funding and 30 do not have it.

Therefore, 47% have funding and 53% do not have it (see

Graphic 17).

From the 27 teams that have self-funding, 2 teams have only

50% of the required funding and 2 other teams have the entire

required funding.

Of noting is that 2 teams indicated that the funding they

referred to is only available when an immediate intervention of

USAR Team is needed.

0102030405060708090

100

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

GERENCIA 50 65 75 75 50 100 0 0 50 100 100 10 10 50 60 40 50 30 40

LOGISTICA 20 40 50 75 50 30 0 60 0 100 100 20 20 75 70 40 40 20 30

BUSQUEDA 70 80 85 75 70 50 50 65 50 100 100 20 50 75 90 20 40 30 40

RESCATE 90 45 80 75 75 100 50 50 80 50 100 100 20 40 90 90 20 60 40 40

MEDICO 20 80 80 0 100 50 0 80 50 100 100 40 50 90 90 20 60 30 30

Co

mp

on

ente

Grupo USAR

Percentage of progress in the development of SOPs and guidelines for each component

Does the team have an own budget

SI

NO

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International Search and Rescue Advisory Team – INSARAG – Americas Region

Graphic 17: Does the team have self-funding?

7. Institutional aspects of each team

Institutionalization aspects are essential for the consolidation and development of USAR Teams, they must be

perseverant with people and assure a constant preparedness of the personnel for responding quickly and

effectively when needed. To meet this, some essential aspects must be assured: annual working plan,

permanent determined and committed personnel –

voluntary or paid, appropriate infrastructure

coherent with the teams’ permanent needs for

developing training and constitution processes,

equipment and tools for training and in constant

preventive and corrective maintenance, working

policies, and an organization chart that meets the

teams’ needs and the operational, administrative

and financial structures. All this is essential for the

management and administrative infrastructure

development of the national USAR Teams, as

indicated in Chapter G, number G4 of the

INSARAG Guidelines.

From the 58 teams that answered about the

teams’ institutionalization aspects, approximately

82% considers these aspects, 15% do not

consider them, 2% are in the process to consider

them and 1% do not answer (see Graphic 18).

Graphic 19 shows the number of teams that answer YES/NO DO NOT ANSWER/DO NOT KNOW and IN

PROCESS for each institutionalization aspect. USAR teams’ organization chart is the aspect with less

percentage.

In relation to this 82% of the teams that have these

institutionalization aspects when processing data and analyzing

the information, the need of deeply knowing the progress percentage in each question is shown, in order to

indicate more accurately the capacity level of the teams. This is required as the answers on the previous

questions of the diagnosis tool are not coherent with the results of this aspect

50 44 44

53 52 50 38

6 14 14

3 6 6 12

1 0 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 2 0 0 6

0102030405060

Institutional aspects of each team

SI NO NR/NS EN PROCESO

SI 82%

NO 15%

NR/NS 1%

EN PROCESO

2%

AVERAGE OF THE ANSWERS

Graphic 18: Average of answers corresponding to 58 teams

that fill out the diagnosis tool regarding the team

institutionalization

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Graphic 19: The institutionalization for each team

8. Aspects related to training

The training is based on knowledge and on an essential behavior change for the USAR Teams. This diagnosis

desired to know how the teams are in terms of planning and integrating process constitution for the teams’

consolidation regarding key aspects, such as, training and constitution of the teams.

The questions arisen from this aspect were referred to identify whether the teams have their own training and

constitution guidelines, whether they have an annual training plan for USAR team continuity and consolidation,

whether they include monthly, biannual or annual practices, whether their preparedness exercises regarding

initiation, mobilization, operation and demobilization are included in the work plan, and, finally, whether they

develop experience exchanges with other USAR teams and areas wherein the personnel is focused in fulfilling

with the development of the elements (see Graphic 20).

The results from 58 USAR Teams was divided in 79% that answered YES, 15% that answered NO, 3% that

answered being in process of including all these aspects and 1% that did not answer (see Graphic 21).

Graphic 20: Aspects related to training

45

38

49 50 49

11

17

3 6 6

1 3 3 0 1 1 0

3 2 2

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

MANUALES PLAN PRACTICAS EJERCICIOS EXPERIENCIA

Aspects related to training

SI NO NR/NS EN PROCESO

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SI 79%

NO 15%

NR/NS 3%

EN PROCESO 3%

Average of replies

SI NO NR/NS EN PROCESO

Graphic 21: Average of answers from the USAR teams regarding training aspect

9. Aspects related to collaboration through the INSARAG network

Within the diagnosis tool this aspect was included in order to learn the USAR teams’ expectations towards

INSARAG, including the INSARAG Executive Board and Secretariat.

The results were divided as follows:

Socialization of the guidelines.

Assessment and accompaniment in national certification processes.

Consultancy for the organizational aspect from the countries holding a certification.

Management of a program providing training for knowing the Guidelines; to be done with the National

Authorities.

Management of the certified teams in order to assist with organizational and constitution aspects of

national teams.

Promotion of training and training exercises for other regional teams.

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V. Conclusions

The diagnosis allows us to identify the great boom for constituting national USAR teams existing right now

in the Americas’ Region, intending to be classified by INSARAG as international teams (INSARAG

external classification process) and be able to assist other countries being more prepared in case of

situations of collapsed structures.

There is a great number of USAR teams with different operational capacities that are not duly established

and/or determined by INSARAG Guidelines and Methodology; therefore, the Americas’ Region must make

great efforts to help in the improvement facilitation of these capacities.

Some countries of these regions hold a national accreditation/certification system or are in the process of

including one, taking USAR teams into an integration or constitution process with some operational,

logistic and administrative lacks. The system of accreditation/certification of the national USAR teams

must be the tool for acquiring and planning development actions. This must be considered as an essential

stage in the strengthening of national capacities, before considering the classification of any USAR team

as an international team.

The national teams have a necessity of institutional and financial assistance to keep their continuity and

operations. Therefore, in this diagnosis, the necessity of having more political and policies support from

the government is showed in order to improve the achievements required in accordance with the Chapter

G of the INSARAG Guidelines. This process of political accompaniment and engagement must be

included to obtain funding and institutional recognition for the preparedness and response of national

USAR teams.

There was an important progress in the strengthening of USAR process in the countries since nomination

of INSARAG focal points. But the interaction with these national USAR teams is weak in some cases due

to the location of the majority of the teams that are established in the capital city and did not consider the

communication mechanisms. Additionally, communication difficulties and its lack of availability could be

also remarked.

The necessity of short-term and medium-term methodological processes promoting training, disclosure

and training of instructors on the INSARAG Guidelines. This will allow national USAR teams to know more

about the requirements to be prepared.

There are many real necessities about the support that is expected from the national USAR teams in the

INSARAG; they could be evidenced in the involvement of certified USAR Teams by INSARAG and the

development of activities regarding specific aspects about INSARAG Handbook.

VI. Recommendations

1. Strengthening, standardization and consolidation of national USAR process

To assist the national initiatives for the creation of USAR teams with the support of the national system

and the government.

To promote the implementation and adaption of INSARAG Guidelines and methodology in each country

in order to establish the national policies and standards.

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To promote and develop national accreditation processes for the USAR teams with the INSARAG

Secretariat’s support.

To develop a registration and control tool that permits determining national conditions and

characteristics, as well as administrating the data base and information.

To promote the national training focused on the INSARAG Guidelines.

To support the teams in process of development for its consolidation.

To establish training mechanisms for the consolidation of the USAR teams elements.

2. Coordination and communication between national USAR teams

To establish/improve the communication process between the INSARAG focal points and the national

USAR teams (USAR roundtable issue).

To establish, as a part of the national emergency response plan, a coordination process between all the

national teams in case of a national response.

3. Training program of the Regional INSARAG Team

To establish a training plan related to the INSARAG Guidelines and Methodology to train facilitators in

each country.

4. Political support for the national and regional USAR processes

To produce disclosure processes related to the INSARAG Guidelines at political level.

To produce the political, financial and operational conditions for the consolidation of the USAR teams.

To enhance and promote by means of the focal points an effective support to the constitution and

sustainability of national USAR teams.

5. Mutual assistance between the INSARAG members, mainly the Americas’ Regional Team

To provide support (from the certified teams) to the national teams in process of development for

consolidating their elements.

To create an offer briefcase.

To promote relationships between the teams of different countries.

To promote experience exchange.

VII. VII. Annexes

Annex 1: Diagnosis Tool

Annex 2: Information processing document


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